


Our Love Will Never Die

by anxious_soul



Series: Tony Stark-Centric Series [69]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Boys In Love, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Clint Barton Needs a Hug, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Loss, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Moving On, Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark Friendship, Nebula & Tony Stark Friendship, Parent Tony Stark, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark is Good With Kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-10 12:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20527784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anxious_soul/pseuds/anxious_soul
Summary: Clint and Tony post-Snap. The struggles and the falls of their marriage.'I Love You. Until Death Do Us Part' Sequel.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the sequel I have been promising you all for ['I Love You. Until Death Do Us Part'](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16790551/chapters/39406537)
> 
> Important Note:  
When I wrote the first story, I wasn't planning a sequel straight away and also I had no clue how Endgame would be handling Tony's return to Earth, so basically all I'm saying is, ignore how I ended that story -from the point Tony got home, in that, it doesn't happen in this. I hope that makes sense.
> 
> I have actually moved some of the conversations I had in that last bit of the first story into this chapter.
> 
> Some lines are taken directly from the movie.

They’d gathered at the Avenger’s Compound. The cities, the world, the universe, they were silent. Silent and shocked. No one knew what was happening. What _had _happened. So there in the compound, in equal silence, Natasha, Steve, Bruce, Thor and Clint sat around frozen. Quiet and still. Like the world.

The team tried to collect any and all information on whatever superheroes they’d lost contact with. There were too many.

Clint was lost. The whole time, he spent it clutching his wedding ring and staring out at the sky with a hopeful and devastated gleam in his cyan eyes. His sister was gone. His niece and nephews too. The boys that Tony and he had all but adopted were gone, one in the snap the other murdered. His husband was out in space with their other son-figure and he didn’t know about their fates. Were they murdered? Were they caught in the Titan’s snap? Or were they just taking the long way home? Only time would tell. 

Then _she _came in her red, blue and gold glory. Natasha had found where Fury was when the snap occurred and had picked up the strange advanced-looking pager that bared the same symbol her attire did.

“Where’s Fury?” And so they explained through tears and choked gasps the situation at hand as she introduced herself as Captain Marvel, but they could call her Carol.

“You can fly through space right?” Clint asked, speaking for the first time since he’d met with the others following the Decimation,

“I can,” Carol said with a nod, 

“My husband he’s…please, I…I don’t…” Rhodes took the man aside when he kept choking up, the two had spent a lot of time together just sitting in silence as they waited optimistically for their favourite genius to return home. Bruce explained to Carol what was going on with Tony and who the missing man was.

She left with a promise.

_“I will find him, Clint. You have my word, I will return your husband and your son.” _

Clint held onto those words almost as tightly as he did with his wedding ring. 

**——LINE BREAK——**

He and Nebula had bonded over the three weeks onboard the Benatar. Telling stories of their lives and their daddy issues.

“You know, I’ve adopted you as my own, right?” Nebula cracked a smile, “No. Seriously. Blue Meanie, you’re like one of my own now! Honestly, I wonder how surprised Clint’ll be when I come home and tell him I’ve brought another kid home. I mean it’s happened about three times already.” He joked before freezing as the realisation hit him. His husband might not even be there when -_if- _he gets home. Pietro may be gone. Vision…he was undoubtedly…dead. Peter…Tony could still hear the boys pleads echoing through his head.

A gentle hand brought him from his mind and he looked up to find Nebula staring at him in concern. He just brushed it away with a small smile.

**——LINE BREAK——**

Day nineteen. Tony and Nebula were quiet that day. They barely moved from where they sat watching the spots of darkness and colour clashing together as the ship drifted powerlessly through space. 

They knew their time, their journey was reaching its end. Food and water had run out, there hadn’t been much, to begin with. They’d had to ration it and well, they’d used up their last rations. 

On their 22nd day in space. Tony could barely move. He was exhausted, starving and dehydrated. He used his helmet to record a message.

“Hey, Clint…” He croaked, “if you get this message and god I hope you do, don’t post it online. I’ll come back and haunt you…” He spoke about Nebula briefly and rambled about the situation with the ship, “Oxygen…will run out tomorrow morning. Food and water ran out…two -no three days ago. Clint…the kid…he didn’t…he _died _in my arms, Clint. I…” He coughed, “When I drift off, I’ll dream about you. I…I love you until death do us part, right? Guess I should change that…I love you…” He turned the recording off and curled up beside the helmet. Sleep came quickly and as he lost himself in the darkness of his mind, he had a feeling he wouldn’t wake again. Maybe just once more. 

He opened his eyes as something burned brightly before him. In his stupor state, he thought he was staring at a glowing angel as she smiled down at him from the other side of the window, her blonde locks radiating like a halo.

They were saved.

**——LINE BREAK——**

Tony ignored Steve as Nebula helped him out of the ship and into Clint’s open arms, the super-soldier loitering as Tony whispered pained words of failure and loss.

“He’s gone. I lost the kid. Clint. Clint. God.” Seconds later, Tony was being taken to the compound’s med-bay as his consciousness quickly slipped away.

The archer was frozen from when Tony had fallen into his arms. He sunk to his knees as his mind went wild. His husband was alive. Tony was _alive. _But…Peter…he wasn’t. Clint had no clue how he was going to tell his partner that none of their surrogate children had survived the Mad Titan.

“Clint,” There was a delicate yet deadly hand on his shoulder and he looked up to find Natasha staring down at him with soft emerald eyes, “come on. This is Tony Stark, he’ll be fine. Why don’t you go get some rest or maybe just sneak into his room and lay by him?” He nodded,

“Thank you, Nat.” The archer turned to Carol, who had been standing there with a small smile as she’d been talking to Rhodey, “and thank you,” He whispered taking one of the blonde’s hands in his, “thank you so much.”  


“I’m glad you’ve got him back.” Is all she said and Clint turned to walk away, the others following behind.

**——LINE BREAK——**

It was a good couple of hours before Tony would wake-up. The two husbands lay in Tony’s hospital bed, the genius’ arm was hooked up to numerous wires, so the archer had to be careful as he held his husband.

“You got a new hairdo. Mohawkeye now.” Clint cracked a smile at Tony’s slurred joke,

“Tony…I need to tell you something…” That woke the genius up properly, his cinnamon eyes latching onto Clint’s as fear swam through them,  


“Clint…where’s Pietro and Vis…he, he must be hurt from Thanos. God, why am I cooped up in here? I need to go to the lab and help Vision out. Fix any damages.” Tony made to move but strong arms held him from doing so,

“Tony. They’re gone.” The man in Clint’s arms froze, “Pietro in the…the Snap and Vision…there was nothing we could do. Thanos ripped the stone from his head…we’ve…we’ve collected his body but…Tones, they’re both gone.”  


“No. No, no, no, no. You’re lying. They can’t all be gone. No. Clint. _Please, no_.” Tony started to struggle in Clint’s grasp but the spy held on tightly as he cried into Tony’s hair and the genius sobbed in his arms. “No. Please. No. Not all of them. I can’t…_no_.” 

“Laura, Cooper, Lila and Nate…they’re gone too.” Clint choked out and Tony’s crying intensified, 

“Harley.” He gasped moments later turning his head to look at the archer, “What about him? He…he’s got to be alive. We can’t have lost them _all_.” Harley had come into their lives once again since the Civil War and like the others, he’d been all but adopted into their makeshift family. 

“I…Tones, I’ve called him a dozen times and…” Clint sighed, “I…he’s never answered.” The sound that tore from Tony’s throat _broke _Clint’s heart. It was the sound of a wounded animal, one that had lost its' family.

“Please leave."  


“Tony?”  


“Please leave, Clint. I need to be alone for a bit. _Please _just _go._” Tony’s voice cracked and Clint nodded, pressing a kiss to his husband’s forehead as he shuffled off the bed,

“Okay, I love you.”  


“And I love you,” Tony whispered as he curled up under his cover.

**——LINE BREAK——**

“I’m sorry.” Tony murmured when Clint came back into his room an hour later, the two instantly curling up together on the bed, “I shouldn’t have sent you away when you’re grieving too. That was selfish of me.”  


“It’s okay, Tony. I’ve had a couple of days to come to some form of terms with the situation.” Clint replied into Tony’s greying hair,

“I can’t believe it. Thanos…he said it’d be half of life…so why…” Tony sniffled, “why did we lose _everyone_, Clint?”  


“We’ve got each other still,” Clint whispered unsure of what else to say to his husband.

“If the world is to end, do I fight or go quietly as long as I am in your arms and by your side,” Tony whispered into the dead of the night, not expecting a response from his husband who had passed out a while ago after crying himself to sleep, yet Tony could not sleep and chose to lay in bed staring at the ceiling and stealing the comfort and heat from the body beside him.

“If the world is to end, I would fight to be by your side and have you in my arms. I would shield you from the crumbling world as it burned beside us.” Clint whispered back completing their vowed words, Tony sniffled and smiled,

“I love you. Until death do us part, after all.”

“Sweet cheeks, you’ll still love me when we’re dead and haunting the shit out of people together.” Clint murmured back making them both chuckle before falling quiet, leaning over his injured husband, Clint pressed a gentle but passionate kiss to Tony’s lips before staring into his eyes and whispering against his lips, “And I love you.”

**——LINE BREAK——**

Later that day, Tony found himself sitting at the table in a wheelchair surrounded by the remaining Avengers and attached to an IV. Clint’s hand was resting on Tony’s shoulders as the still-recovering and weak man watched as faces of the dusted popped up on the screen. Natasha was talking and Tony was peering at the screen from over his glasses.

He had to look away as Pietro and Peter’s faces showed up in front of him. His heart clenched painfully at the reminder of the son’s they lost.

Tony had told them something bigger and badder was out there and now look at them. He was right. Dear God, he was right and for once, he hated that he was. He told them that he knew this would happen, he could hear Clint whispering behind him to sit down, to be careful, to not start something, but Tony couldn’t care less. Steve was there _expecting _him to help, to give coordinates, to give them _something. _Well, he gave his all on that planet and all those years ago. He gave everything and it wasn’t enough. Now, _now_ when _Steve _needed something, he just expected Tony to hand it over without hassle, without restraint. Well, not today and not tomorrow. 

“You know what I need?” Tony muttered standing up, his hands knocking over the bowl with purpose, anger and force, “I need a shave.” He mumbled on as he ripped the IV from his wrist, struggling in his weakened state even as Rhodey and Clint repeated his name in an attempt to snap him out of it. Clint stood behind his husband, hands inches away from the man in preparation to catch him and also because the sandy-haired blond _knew _Tony wouldn’t react well to being held. 

Clint allowed Rhodey to step in and try to get Tony to sit down, he knew it wouldn’t work and Rhodes did too, but it didn’t stop him from trying. Tony just struggled out of his grasp as he tore Steve a new one. The blond just stood there with a resigned and sorrowful gaze as he took his well deserved verbal beating. Clint shuffled closer as Tony’s stance grew unsteady. 

A silent gasp tore from Clint’s throat as his husband tore the housing unit for the nanoparticles from his chest and slapped it into Steve’s hand. The gesture itself was big and it would appear that no one else had realised that Tony had, more or less, ripped his heart out and given it to the blond.

“Here take this. You find him, you put that on and you hide.” Tony gasped as his weakened state began to take ahold of him. He fell to his knees and Clint rushed over, the genius pushed him away insisting that he was fine. Then he collapsed into Clint’s open arms. The archer hoisted the man up and let Bruce lead the way to the med bay once again so the man could be sedated in the hopes that he’ll _actually_ heal. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt that I should clarify something, yesterday when I mentioned that I will be slow uploading stories, I didn't mean chapters. When I write something with multiple chapters, I write most if not all of the story and just upload a chapter a day until it's completed, which is what I've done with this story. So don't worry, you'll only be waiting a day for a chapter with this as I meant I will be slow with uploading stories. Hope that makes sense.

It had been five years since the ‘Snap’. Five long years. People tried to move on. Key word being tried. It was difficult. Everyone had lost someone. _Everyone. _Whether it be a friend or a loved one. The Avengers that remained had gone their separate ways, well, to a degree they had. Most of them were trying to help with anything like recovery to searching for a possibility that they can fix everything. 

Clint and Tony were the only ones who seemed to be surviving and living despite everything. Though it wasn’t a lie, it still wasn’t the truth. They’d moved out of the dead city and to the countryside, the cabin in the woods was exactly in the middle of New York (or rather the Parker’s neither of which remained) and the Barton farm (none of whom survived). They weren’t ridiculously far from either places, they were just perfect. The husbands in their grief did some good in the world, they adopted a baby girl who lost her mother seconds after her birth as Thanos snapped his fingers together five years ago. They named her Morgan and she was undoubtedly the light of their life, the little brunette, who Clint always remarked that she looked so much like Tony, was really the only thing keeping the pair sane. None of the remaining Avengers had really bothered to meet her, what with Steve doing whatever he was doing (Tony was convinced he was off on his motorbike _trying_ desperately to help others and not himself), Bruce becoming a fusion of Dr Banner and the Hulk, together they formed Professor Hulk and whilst the husbands were surprised and happy that Bruce had finally found some peace, the friendly green giant never visited. The God of Thunder had all but vanished to the island that Tony had gotten them to make New Asgard, they all knew Thor wasn’t dealing with his grief and no one was surprised that the muscular and fit god had turned to food and alcohol. 

Then there were the others who did visit and not because they needed things; Rhodey -or rather Uncle Rhodey and Aunty Carol, they’d gotten together and well Clint could never unsee what he walked in on one evening five years ago. They visited rarely but always tried to as they were very focused on helping the universe -Carol vanished almost all the time to help the galaxy and Rhodey did communications back at the Avengers Compound alongside Natasha, who was often dragged over to the lakeside Stark-Barton home. She was _one of _Morgan’s favourite -Aunty Tasha. The redhead wasn’t dealing well with everything and so Clint and Tony made it a point to get her over at least once a fortnight for a family dinner. It was often in those evenings once Clint had broken out the wine and Tony had put Morgan to bed that the waterworks would start, one by one the three would mourn together over their friends and family. Her other favourite was Aunty Pepper, who had tried to move on and keep Stark Industries running. She wanted a focus and work had always been her focus. She now lived with Happy, the two were in a _happy _relationship despite the circumstance with the world.

The remaining Guardians of the Galaxy were surprisingly frequent visitors too. Rocket was over every once in a while because despite what the not-raccoon says, he does like spending time with the Stark-Barton family. Nebula was over so much that she had been gifted her own bedroom, something that the cyborg hadn’t been prepared for and for the first time in her life…she cried. For her sister, for the tree, for the strange girl who was in an odd relationship with the strange tattooed man and even for the moron who loved her sister. She cried into Tony’s welcome arms and accepted his comfort. Since that day, she had more or less become Morgan’s _very _protective big sister. It was sweet. 

And so despite the mass loss to their little family of strays, Tony and Clint still found it in them to adopt more strays into their broken family. Not so they could replace the painful deaths of their son-figures, but so they could help the others as they had with Pietro, Vision, Peter and Harley, all of which were gone thanks to the Mad Titan.

**——LINE BREAK——**

Deep down, Tony knew that one day, _one day _the surviving Avengers would come knocking at his door and they wouldn’t be coming over for dinner. No, they’d be coming because they needed his help with what they deemed a solution and possible fix to the ‘Snap. He knew they’d come and he knew that their plan would be flawed with things they didn’t think of and losses they hadn’t prepared for. 

When he saw the car pull up outside his house as he was heading back with Morgan in his arms, he knew that the day he’d expected had come. Sending his daughter inside, he walked to the porch and sat down waiting for the three to approach him. 

“I thought he was a Snap victim.” Tony stated pointing at Scott, who hastily set to explaining what had happened before being cut off by Tony, “Don’t care. Why are you here?”

The trio set to explaining their grand plans and ideas. Tony shot them down almost instantly as Morgan came out and was lifted onto the genius’ lap.

“Papa said to come save you.”  


“I’m saved.” Tony murmured kissing her forehead, “thank you, sweetie.” He stood, carrying the little girl as he headed back into his house. 

**——LINE BREAK——**

He knew they wouldn’t _just _leave and so he wasn’t surprised when Clint came back into the house with a frown after disappearing from the kitchen when Tony had entered. His husband wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist as the shorter man continued to chop vegetables up for dinner. His head perched on Tony’s shoulder. 

“If you’re about to try and convince me to help them, don’t waste your breath,” Tony muttered moments later as he placed the knife down on the chopping board and turned so he and Clint were face to face. Clint’s arms still held Tony. 

“I wasn’t planning on doing that. Steve tried to get me to, but I told him to fuck off -you should’ve seen his face.” Tony smirked,

“Did you really?”  


“Uhuh. I think that deserves a reward.” Clint whispered leaning in close with a cheeky glint to his grin and in his eyes,

“I think you do too.” Tony pressed his lips against Clint’s, before whispering during the kiss, “_later_.” 

“_Why?”_

“Ew! Daddy! Papa! That’s icky.” A girlish shriek came from behind Clint as it cut over his whine,

“That’s why.” The genius chuckled having seen his daughter enter during the kiss.

**——LINE BREAK——**

  
As he was washing the dishes -why Clint refused to let them have a dishwasher, Tony would never know- he accidentally sprayed himself and the shelves above. Looking up, Tony caught sight of a photograph he’d gotten wet. Grabbing it, he began to dry it before staring at it longingly. Squeezed into the photo were Tony and Clint, both smiling with their arms wrapped around Pietro and Peter, who had Harley in between them and Vision stood above them behind Tony and Clint. Everyone was pulling a silly face, Tony was doing bunny ears above Harley, who was reaching behind to do the same to the older genius. Clint, Pietro and Peter were pulling faces as Vision stared with a simple smile. It had been a lovely day.

Sighing heavily, he put the photo back and finished with the dishes before wandering off to his office. He had some holograms to mess with. 

**——LINE BREAK——**

“_Shit._” He gasped to himself as he slumped back in his seat and stared in bewilderment. 

“Shit!” Wide eyes of awe turned to slight horror as he spun in his seat to see Morgan sitting on the stairs grinning at him,

“That’s a no-no word, Morgan. Aunty Pepper coined it as hers.” 

**——LINE BREAK——**

“Morgan loves me 3000.” Tony remarked with a grin after having put their daughter back to bed, “last I checked, you were somewhere between 12 and 512.” He joked and let Clint pull him down onto the couch where he’d been sitting cleaning his sword -he’d taken up a new hobby when they lost everything, it was a way to help him with his grief and he just so happened to learn how to handle swords.

“I did it.” Tony blurted out, “I figured out time travel.”  


“I knew you would.” Clint murmured holding him close,

“I got really lucky.”  


“_We _got really lucky.”

“A lot of people didn’t.”  


“I know.”  


“I can’t. No, I can’t help everybody. I can’t do this.”  


“It sort of seems like you can, honey.”  


“Not if I stop. I can put a pin in it. Right now.”  


“Tony.” Clint sighed turning to his husband fully, “trying to get you to stop is a feat no one can accomplish. Least of all me.”

“Sometimes I feel like I should put it in a locked box and drop it at the bottom of the lake.” Tony murmured, “go to bed.” Clint clutched Tony’s hand and stared deep into his eyes with a sad sort of smile etched across his face,

“But would you be able to rest?” He whispered.

That night, neither of them got much sleep as their minds were plagued with what-ifs and painful thoughts. 

**——LINE BREAK——**

The next day, Clint and Tony drove to New York, on the way they dropped Morgan off at Pepper and Happy’s house with her little Spider-Man suitcase and matching toy bag (the little girl had grown up on stories about the son-figure spidering and once she saw the suitcase in the store a couple of years ago…well, there was no way she _wouldn’t _be getting it without a tantrum).

Getting out of the car and walking up to Pepper’s house seemed like the longest journey to Tony as Clint grabbed Morgan’s stuff. 

“Sweetie, we’ll be back for you in a few days, okay?” Tony murmured hugging her tightly, “We’ll call every night before bedtime.”  


“Exactly what your dad said. And if you need to talk, we’re only a call away, baby.” Clint added moving in to hug his little girl,

“We love you so _so _much.”  


“That we do. You be good for your Aunty Pepper and Uncle Happy, okay?”  


“Yes, papa. I’ll be good. I love you 3000 daddy and papa.”  


“We love you a _billion _times more, sweetie.” Tony whispered clutching her once more before Clint dragged him to the car, “see you soon, Morgan.”  


“Bye-bye, daddy! Bye-bye papa!” She called, waving as the pair reluctantly drove off.

**——LINE BREAK——**

Blue eyes watched as a car came speeding along the long driveway of the Avengers Compound. Music was blasting loudly but Steve still heard the screeching of the tires as the car skidded around the bends. It drove just past Steve and the blond waited where he was as it reversed back ever so much. Unsurprisingly, when the window rolled down, Steve saw Tony. 

“Why the long face?” He asked speaking after several tense moments of silence, “let me guess, he turned into a baby.”

“Among other things, yeah.” Tony got out of the car explaining the why’s,

“Somebody could have cautioned you against it.”  


“You did.” Steve sighed,  


“Oh, did I?” Tony acted shocked, “Thank god I’m here then. Regardless, I fixed it.” He put his hand up, showing the device crossing the back of it. Clint, who had stepped out of the car and was leaning on it from the passenger side showed the device that he had on his hand too. “A fully functioning time-space GPS.” He gave the peace sign, “I just want peace. Turns out, resentment is corrosive, and I hate it.” As he said those words, Tony looked at Clint briefly and Steve knew that the archer undoubtedly helped Tony come to such a realisation,

“Me too.” The blond stated with a smile that the genius returned faintly, 

“We got a shot at getting these stones, but I gotta tell you my priorities. Bring back what we lost? I hope, yes. Keep what I found? I have to, at all costs. And, maybe not die trying would be nice.” 

“Same with me, Cap. Tony and I finally found something to live for since the Snap and I’ll be damned if we lose it all again.” Clint added as he moved to stand next to Tony, holding his husband’s hand tightly, Steve smiled at the pair, before shaking their hands.

“Sounds like a deal.”

**——LINE BREAK——**

“I’m game. I’ll do it.” 

“No, you will not!” Tony all but shouted at Clint’s comment, 

“Tony, we need someone to test this out. Scott’s freaking out and I’m happy to do it.”  


“But-“  


“Honey, I’ll be fine. You built this and I trust you.”  


“God, I hate you sometimes, Clint.”  


“I love you,"  


“I love you too,” Tony mumbled pressing his lips to Clint’s before they went and got him ready for the time travel test. “Be safe.”

“Always.” Clint winked before the helmet covered his face and he was gone. 

Five seconds later he was back with a baseball mitt clutched to his chest.

**——LINE BREAK——**

Clint groaned as he landed somewhere in the past, there was a sharp pain in his stomach but it soon faded as he looked around where he’d landed. He was at his sister’s farm. He wandered out of the shed and picked up the baseball mitt he saw before he heard childish laughter and shouts. Looking out into the field from where he was partially hidden, he saw _all _the kids playing and suddenly he remembered the day. It was five years ago, a few weeks before Thanos and the Snap. 

He couldn’t help but watch with a sad smile as Peter hit the baseball with his bat and tried to run to the second base but was thwarted by Pietro, who decided to cheat and use his super speed. Lila was laughing with Nathaniel as the two played their own calmer version of just throwing and catching. Then there was Cooper, who was about to hit the ball next, only for Harley to catch it before it hit the ground. Clint remembered being so proud -then a loud cheer took hold of the time travellers attention and he saw Tony with his brown hair clapping loudly for Harley alongside past-Clint and Laura, who was dealing out hot dogs.

“Nice catch, Harley,” Past-Clint shouted, running over to high-five the young man,

“Now it’s lunchtime everyone, so clean your hands and come on over,” Laura called moments later and suddenly the kid’s decided to race over, Vision, who had been reading on the bench looked startled as a stampede of children rushed past him, of course Pietro used his super-speed and managed to knock Vision’s book to the ground. 

Before Clint could see Vision retaliate like he remembered the being did, he was suddenly pulled back to his time all while holding the baseball mitt tightly.

**——LINE BREAK——**

Soon enough everything was prepared and set up, the locations of the stones known and the teams sorted. They were all on the platform when Steve stopped the group in the centre for a small speech. Before Natasha could walk to her spot, Tony grabbed her arm.

“Nat, _please _be careful. Look after yourself and Clint.” The redhead smiled at his tone of desperateness, 

“Tony, it will be fine._ We _will be fine. _All _of us.”  


“I know. I know. I just-“ She shushed him gently and pulled the genius in for a hug, 

“You be safe too, okay?”  


“Aren’t I always.” Tony joked as she pulled away and pressed a kiss to her cheek, before they started to walk towards their spots on the platform where everyone else stood in formation, “see you shortly, Nat."  


“Yeah. See you a minute, Tony.” She murmured softly as she stood beside Clint, who shared a glance and a nod with Tony, they seemed to know exactly what each other were saying (“_I love you” “and I love you.”). _“See you in a minute,” Nat repeated to everyone with a smile before they all set off on their missions.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve completely fixed the Russo’s mistake with how Tony acted at Nat’s death because out of everyone, he knew her the longest barring Clint of course and so it was ridiculous to have him ask about her family when in canon the pair had quite a nice interesting relationship -one that definitely had potential to be expanded I think.

After what seemed like a long amount of time, when in reality it was 60 seconds in their present time, the Avengers arrived back in 2023 on the platform. Everyone was grinning at each other, indicating they’d retrieved their stones. Tony turned and looked at Clint as the man fell to his knees. Everyone seemed to realise something was wrong when they didn’t see their favourite red-headed spy beside him. Hesitantly, Tony walked over to his husband, throat and chest tightening painfully as he knelt in front of Clint and placed his hand on his husband’s arm.

“Clint?” He croaked quietly as the mohawked man remained mute. 

“Clint, where’s Nat?” Professor Hulk asked looking somewhat terrified of the answer, but the man remained silent and Tony felt a tear fall down his face as he hugged his husband.

**——LINE BREAK——**

_They fought. Neither wanted the other to sacrifice themselves for the Soul Stone, but they knew one of them would have to go. So they fought to be the one to go over the side of the cliff. _

_“Tell my family I love them. Tell Tony, I’m sorry and I love him.”  
_

_“Tell them yourself.” _

_Then they were both hanging by a wire. Natasha’s hand slipping ever so slightly from Clint’s grasp._

_“Damn you!” He growled tugging on the wire, his eyes watering,_

_“Let me go.” She whispered, _

_“No!” _

_“Clint, you have Tony and Morgan. You have a family. You can’t leave them all behind and soon, with that stone, you’ll have the others too.”  
_

_“You’re family too! Please, no.”  
_

_“It’s okay,” She whispered,_

_“Please…” He cried out and then…Natasha was pushing off and falling._

**——LINE BREAK——**

“Do you know if she had any family?” Scott asked having not known the redheaded woman that well,

“She had us,” Tony whispered from where he stood with his arm around Clint’s waist. It didn’t take long for Thor to start freaking out, showing everyone just how badly he was at grieving and accepting loss, though they understood he had been through a lot of that in the last decade.

“We don’t have the time to give her a proper funeral, but once we’ve restored the other half of the planet. We’re giving her one. I know we…we have no body to bury, but she can have a coffin and we can put items that meant a lot to her in. It’s…I want the whole world -_everyone- _to know of her sacrifice. Of her bravery and courage. I want little girls and little boys growing up and idolising her.” Tony stated cutting into the silence and Clint nodded,

“We’ll do that. We will.” He muttered as the others agreed.

“How do we tell Morgan?” Clint asked moments later, “she doesn’t understand death. She’s too young.”

“I don’t know, honey. I don’t know.” Tony whispered back.

**——LINE BREAK——**

Soon enough Professor Hulk was snapping his fingers with the Nano-Gauntlet full of the Infinity Stones as Tony stood in front of Clint with a shield up to protect them both from any possible backfire. As they tended to a half-conscious Bruce, Scott looked outside and murmured something as Clint picked up his ringing phone.

“Laura…” He whispered and Tony grabbed his own vibrating phone, he read the caller ID before looking over at Clint, who was staring at him with wide eyes and a grin as he answered his sister,

“Harley’s calling me…” Tony stated with his own grin but before he could answer, a shadow fell across the compound and then…

Everything exploded.

**——LINE BREAK——**

The next time they saw each other was on the battlefield, Clint had tossed the gauntlet off to the Black Panther as Tony dived in front of him to protect him from an enemy the archer hadn’t seen.

“Thanks, hon’”  


“Anytime, hotshot. Be careful.” Then Tony was flying off again and something sped in front of Clint, who grabbed at his sword in preparation until he realised and recognised the white-haired young man before him.

“Pietro…” He whispered, grabbing hold of the speedster and hugging him, “you’re back. It really worked.” Clint sounded breathless,

“That I am, pop!” He joked but Clint could see the confusion and happiness in the twenty-somethings eyes, “I dunno what happened though, I mean I feel like I just woke up despite that battle in Wakanda being like two minutes ago for me, but then I was told by Wong -that other wizard-y guy, that it’s been five years or something-“ Clint cut him off by pulling him in for another hug,

“God it’s good to have you back, but we need to save the reunion for after _this _battle. Keep safe kid.” Clint murmured and Pietro smiled in understanding before taking off once again.

**——LINE BREAK——**

As the big creature aimed at Tony, he thought it was the end until the being was being dragged away and then stood on by a massive Ant-Man. It was Peter. A rambling Peter, but still. Soon Tony pulled him in for a hug, ignoring the boy’s rambles and consequently cutting him off.

“This is nice.”  


“I missed you, Pete.”  


“Missed you too even though it didn’t feel like any time passed, dad -I mean Mr Stark!”  


“It’s fine, kiddo.” Tony murmured pressing a kiss to the boy’s cheek. “We’ll talk later, be safe.”

**——LINE BREAK——**

“Watch out Spidey!” Someone shouted and Peter just moved out of the way as one of Thanos’ mindless creatures went to strike him,

“Thanks -oh my god, Clint!” The teenager rushed over to the sword carrying and using archer, and hugged him,

“It’s good to see you, kid.”  


“You too!”

“Keep safe, kid, we’ll catch up afterwards, okay?”  


“Aye aye, Mr Barton!” And the kid was off swinging again.

**——LINE BREAK——**

“Pietro…god, it’s good to see you.” Tony muttered as the speedster sped in front of him and hugged the genius, 

“You too, Tony. I know it was apparently five years ago, but you still freaked me out when you went to space.”  


“Yeah, you and me both, kid.” 

“Well, see you in a bit,”  


“You too. Keep safe.” 

**——LINE BREAK——**

Tony didn’t know if it was bad that he wasn’t surprised when Dr Strange lifted one finger as Thanos began to take on the power of the stones. This was it. Do or die. Was there an option for both? Because that’s the one Tony chose. 

“And I am…Iron Man.” He panted out as he clicked his fingers and the world faded to white.

_When he opened his eyes, the world was set in a constant sunset and the ground was wet. Looking ahead, he saw a group of figures huddled together under a small temple of sorts. Slowly, he walked towards them, hesitancy set in his bones as he approached. Faces formed as he stood before the group. _

_“Morgan? Peter? Pietro?” He whispered as he spied his little girl and his recently-returned-to-the living son-figures,_

_“Daddy,” Morgan called rushing forward to hug him and once it became apparent that she could, in fact, touch him, Peter and Pietro rushed forward,_

_“Why’d you do it?” Pietro asked,_

_“There was no other way, I’m sorry,” Tony answered quietly as he held onto them as if doing so would preserve his own beating heart and life._

Barely a second had passed and Tony found himself forcing his dying body to move away from Thanos, who was turning in a slow circle and watching as his army became nothing more than dust on the debris ridden ground. He slumped against some wreckage, his breathing slow and strained. His body was numb and he could barely lift a finger. 

He felt the ground shake slightly as someone landed beside him. A cold metal hand cupped the side of his face and painfully, Tony tilted his head to see his oldest and best friend staring down at him with a small smile of pride and sorrow, and teary eyes. With great difficulty, Tony felt the side of his lips pull upwards to form a semblance of a smile he simply didn’t have the energy to make.

Then young tear-ridden Peter fell in front of him, Tony was ashamed to admit that he could do nothing more than look at the boy, all his energy had gone into the barely-there smile.

“Mr Stark? It’s Peter.” He stated as though Tony was no longer capable of recognising the boy he looked to as a son, “we won, Mr Stark. We won.” Peter whispered as tears fell down his face, “you did it, sir. You did it.” Hands grabbed helplessly onto his armour as Peter tried to do _something, anything_, “I’m sorry,” Tony felt like he should be the one apologising, Peter had nothing to apologise for after all, “_dad,_” Tony honestly didn’t know what hurt more, the pain caused from the use of the stones or Peter calling him that. 

Soon the boy was being gently pulled away as Pepper landed in front and pressed a kiss to his cheek before she parted as Pietro sped towards the dying man. By this point, more and more of the superheroes were realising just _how _they had won and _who _had used the gauntlet.

“Tony? _Dad?” _God another ‘dad’, Tony seriously thought his heart would break, two ‘dads’ from kids he viewed as his own was a dream to the genius and it had to come true on his deathbed. Pietro’s voice shook as the young man didn’t know what to say, “I’m sorry for everything,” he whispered through tears, “and thank you for…for everything and…and giving me a second chance…when…when I didn’t…didn’t deserve one.” Pietro gently fingered Tony’s unharmed hand, before letting Pepper pull him away. Rhodey was holding Peter and she was holding Pietro.

Then _he _realised who had snapped Thanos and his army away into oblivion.

“_Tony?”_ Came a startled and horrified exclamation as Clint pushed his way towards his dying husband, landing painfully on his knees as he reached out to Tony,

“Hey, Clint.” Tony choked out breathlessly and he gently yet painfully and slowly placed his hand on top of the one Clint had put on his arc reactor. The archer got FRIDAY’s input and bit back the tears and sobs that clawed at his eyes and throat,

“Tony, look at me.” He whispered, “we’re going to be okay.” Clint wanted to scream but he couldn’t and instead continued, “you can rest now.” He placed a kiss to Tony’s cheek, holding his lips there for a few seconds, 

It was as if those words were all Tony needed to hear because a second later, Tony’s head fell to the side as the light in his eyes dimmed to an end and the hand began to fall from on top of Clint’s. Then…the arc switched off. Not dramatically like Tony, it just turned off…exactly like a light. 

And then the tears came. Along with the sobs. The wails and the gut-wrenching screams that had been begging to crawl out of Clint’s throat. _His husband was dead._ The surrounding Avengers fell to their knees one by one as they recognised the great man and hero had succumbed to his final breath, tears falling down their cheeks as they remembered Tony, even those who didn’t know him personally or liked him, shed a few tears...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry???
> 
> Also just because I wrote his death, does not mean I accept it!


	4. Chapter 4

Since deciding to adopt Morgan, Clint always thought the hardest thing would be letting her go when she left home to start her life.

He was wrong.

It was telling her that her daddy wouldn’t be coming home and that it wasn’t because he didn’t love her, it was because he couldn’t. And that Aunty Tasha was with daddy too. That neither would be able to see Morgan for a long long time. 

Alongside losing his husband and best friend, trying to explain death to a young five-year-old was near impossible. The morning after Tony’s death, she asked where daddy was and Clint could barely hold it together. 

The day of Natasha and Tony’s joint funeral, she asked again and this time, he couldn’t hold the tears back.

**——LINE BREAK——**

At their funeral, the Avengers rallied together to face the masses -the press, the public and the family. Together as one, they spoke about Natasha’s bravery and sacrifice, how without her, the dusted half wouldn’t have returned and the surviving half of the universe would still be living in the dark and difficult times just like they had for the last five years. They spoke about Tony’s courage and sacrifice, how without him, the universe would’ve been whole again but only for a few hours because Thanos was prepared to eliminate everything and recreate the universe where he would be the ruler. 

“My husband said a small speech of sorts when Natasha died,” Clint murmured speaking for the first time, his voice steady and tense though there was a slight waver from time to time, “he said that we’d make sure the world knew her name and that her story would be told. That little girls and little boys would grow up knowing her and idolising her. I want that too, but I have a. Slight change to make, I want that for Natasha _and _I want that for Tony. Let the world know who Natasha Romanoff and Tony Stark-Barton are and what they died for. _Who _they died for.” He finished quietly before moving away, unable to handle the stares.

Tony was buried beside his parents’ joint grave, Natasha was buried on the other side of Tony’s grave, though there was one empty slot separating the two and Clint knew it was for him, which, yes, morbid, but still sweet in its own way. Tony had always been a family man.

**——LINE BREAK——**

In typical Tony fashion, the genius had left a hologram of himself. The intermediate Barton-Stark family (Clint, Morgan, Peter, Pietro, Rhodey, Happy and Pepper, Harley stood awkwardly in the background alongside Nebula, neither felt like they should be there but Clint had insisted) sat together on the couches in the living room to watch and listen.

“…but then again part of the journey is the end.” Tony was coming to a close as he crouched down in front of Morgan, who seemed to radiate with sadness and confusion, “I love you 3000,” he cast his gaze across the rest of his family, “I love you all, thank you for…for just being there and saving me from myself. Peter, Pietro…I’m proud of you both. _So _proud. Harley, that college of your better take you back otherwise I’ll come back from the dead. Nebula…good luck out there Blue Meanie.” The hologram of Tony shifted until he -it?- was staring straight into Clint’s eyes, “And I love you.” He whispered before ending the recording device. 

Clint didn’t know how to feel. It was heartbreaking when Tony died -even more so when Tony couldn’t say those words back to him after Clint had told him he loved him. When Tony didn’t have the energy or breath inside to reiterate their little saying to each other, the rest of his heart cracked and crumbled as if he was still alive as he watched his husband die. But…right then, Tony _somehow knew _that he wouldn’t have been able to tell Clint he loved him and so he did in the hologram. Curse Tony’s foresight. 

**——LINE BREAK——**

Once more the Avengers gathered at the lakeside of the Barton-Stark house, they wanted to have and give their own private and personal farewell to Tony. Sitting in a wreath of flowers was his first-ever arc reactor, the one Pepper had gifted him as a joke that read ‘Proof That Tony Stark Has A Heart’, Clint cast it out onto the lake and watched as it slowly drifted away. He held Morgan close as Pietro stood behind him with Rhodey, Pepper and Happy alongside May, who had her arms wrapped around a crying Peter. Laura had gone straight to the lakehouse with the kids when they returned from dust, she stood with her arms around her children as tears fell from her eyes. The others were spread out and out of the corner of his eye, Clint watched as Fury stood on the porch staring mourningly at the floating arc reactor. 

“How do you…move on when you’re other half leaves you? How do you breathe?” Clint found himself whispering,

“You don’t.” It was May, who spoke, she out of everyone knew exactly how Clint felt considering she too had lost her husband, “you don’t move on. You can try but you won’t succeed.One day…you’ll find that you’ve accepted it and learned to live again.” 

**——LINE BREAK——**

Over the years, Clint had his ups and downs. In particular, he always seemed to return to the memory of him and Natasha’s fight. As upset and horrified as he had been when she sacrificed herself, he couldn’t help the tiny _tiny _part of him that whispered in his mind when he reunited with Tony as the Avengers returned to the compound in present time. The tiny voice would whisper that it was better it was Natasha because otherwise, Tony would be left all alone and he would be heartbroken. Yet…Tony died a day or so later and god, did Clint wish it had been him in Natasha’s place.

The thing was that he used to dream about it being him. When Tony had first died that was. He would dream about himself falling from that cliff and hitting the bottom and being dead. Then he dreamed about reuniting with Tony. Both dead but together. 

But then he’d wake to a movement in his bed as Morgan crawled under his covers and snuggled against him. It was at those moments that he was grateful to be alive because otherwise, he was condemning Morgan to be an orphan again. And that wasn’t fair. 

There were times when Clint could do nothing but curse Tony’s name. Shout and scream at him for leaving them behind. Only to break down crying and spluttering out apologies that the intended would never hear.

**——LINE BREAK——**

It’s not that he didn’t move on. It was more that he _couldn’t_. Dear God, did Clint try, but he just…couldn’t. He wore Tony’s ring on a chain around his neck and kept his own on his finger. 

As Morgan grew from a little girl to a young woman, she became more aware of her papa’s sadness and expressed how she wanted him to move on.

“You know dad wouldn’t want you to be alone, papa. He’d want you to move on and find someone.” She would say,  


“I know, baby girl.” Clint would whisper as he held her in his arms, “yet, if the situation was switched and he was here and I was dead, Tony wouldn’t be able to move on either.”

**——LINE BREAK——**

The first date he went on about 18 months after Tony’s death had barely started before Clint found himself apologising and running away trying to hold his tears in until he at least got in his car.

His first kiss since Tony made him feel nauseous and he shortly ended that brief relationship.

The first time he and some stranger decided to get it on in the bathroom of a pub, Clint felt his skin crawl. It was wrong. So _so _wrong. He fled instantly.

Soon enough the man gave up because he _couldn’t _find it in him to move on. To find someone else, when any sexual advances made him feel like he was doing something _morally _wrong, was pointless.

He just had to wait until he would be with Tony again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like this chapter. I wasn't very happy with the way it came out and I think that's because I'm writing it as someone else and not Tony, who I'm used to writing as. But I hope it wasn't as bad as I think.


	5. Chapter 5

When he opened his eyes, the world was white and light grey. He found himself laying on what seemed to be pale sand. Standing slowly, he saw that his right arm and shoulder was no longer burned, reaching up and touching his face, he realised it wasn’t either. He turned in a slow circle, taking in the barren land. Behind him in the distance, a faint light could be seen, closing his eyes and controlling his breathing, he thought he could hear faint music. He headed off in the direction, stumbling on the shapeless land until he got close enough to see the odd building that stood in the desert-like land. It was the only thing in sight. 

He stood at the door of the pristine-looking building and heard the music switch from the middle of a calming song to a _very _familiar beat. A smirk crawled across his face as the first few beats of ACDC’s ‘Back in Black’. Walking inside, he was surprised to find that it looked like a typical bar. It wasn’t busy, a few people loitered here and there on stools, chairs and in booths. He looked around, _his _song playing loudly, when he caught sight of a very familiar braided set of red hair, the blonde tips gradually fading. He walked over to the woman sitting on the barstool, her hand gently moving her drink in a circle as she watched the liquid move in a mesmerising manner. He sat down on the stool beside her, she didn’t look at him, in fact, it was as if she hadn’t noticed. He knew she had though.

“Agent Romanov… you miss me?” That caught her attention, wide green eyes stared at him through the mirror behind the counter before she turned her head and looked at him. A pale hand reached out and touched his cheek,

“Tony?”

“Hey, Nat.” He smiled softly, leaning into her touch before she jumped up and hugged him, “I missed you.”

**——LINE BREAK——**

Eventually, they separated from their hug and Tony ordered a drink before taking his and Natasha’s in his hands and moving to a cosy-looking booth where the pair sat, bodies angled towards each other. 

“So what is this place?”  


“It’s like a bar for the dead superheroes -Loki’s here, so be careful.”

“Loki?” She nodded,

“It’s also a place for the dead to go before they move on to ‘eternal peace’ or whatever that means.”  


“So kind of like limbo? You stay here until you’ve moved on?"  


“Pretty much.”  


“Huh,” they fell silent as they drank their drinks.

“Did we do it?”  


“Yeah. We did. Your sacrifice wasn’t done in vain, Nat.” He smiled softly and she reciprocated,  


“Tell me what happened. Tell me why you’re here Tony and not there with Clint.”

“Thanos from the past.” Tony stated bluntly and took in the red head’s surprised and shocked look. The name of the Mad Titan caught the attention of a few others, but it was only Loki, who moved over, “Loki, you want that drink now?” Tony asked looking at the god out of the corner of his eye,

“In a bit,” he winked holding his own drink up.

**——LINE BREAK——**

“…and then I stole the Infinity Stones and snapped Thanos and his army away.” A loud slurp was heard when Tony finished and the Avengers turned to Loki who had finished his drink, 

“You mean to tell me you took on the force of _all _the stones and actually used them?” The god exclaimed, “I underestimated you, Stark.”  


“Lots of people do.” Tony shrugged.

“I’m proud of you, Tony, but I died so no one else would. God, I hoped none of you would be here at least not for a while.” He wrapped an arm around the redhead and Loki disappeared, 

“‘m sorry, Nat. Believe me when I tell you, I love you but I didn’t exactly want to be here with you yet.”

“You know Clint won’t move on.” Natasha stated,

“Don’t I know it.” Tony muttered into his drink, “but, in all honesty, Nat, I wouldn’t move on if it was him.”  


“I know you wouldn’t.”

**——LINE BREAK——**

Time passed differently in the ‘bar’. A year could pass and it would feel like a minute. It wasn’t often that someone new arrived nor was it often that someone vanished. Neither Natasha nor Tony left.

And then _he _arrived. Waltzing into the bar like he owned it. Tony just so happened to be walking back to his and Nat’s booth with drinks in hand when his eyes met a familiar blue pair. He slowly placed the drinks on the nearest surface before he slowly began to walk towards him, the sandy-haired man did the exact same. It was cliché, but after a few steps, they ran into each other’s arms and hold one another as tight as possible.

“Clint,”  


“Tony.” They whispered each other’s names before leaning in and kissing, lips meeting magically like their first kiss,

“I love you,” Clint murmured into his lips,

“And I love you.” 

Neither noticed that their bodies began to shine, but Natasha did as she walked over and hugged Clint, her own body glowing and seconds later…the trio were gone. They were each other’s ticket into eternal peace.

They were free and they were together again. 

“I love you,”  


“And I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay...this chapter could've been better, but hope it was alright.
> 
> Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> I might have to write more Clint/Tony -not in this universe of mine, but in general, 'cause I quite like writing them...opinions?
> 
> Also, writing as you can tell has been slow at the minute for me and unfortunately I don't see that changing. This is my last year before -fingers crossed- I get into and go to university, so my priorities won't be on writing. I'm so sorry, but I will try and get stuff up for you guys whenever I can! Also, just thank you for all the support you've given me for the last -what are we on?- 69 stories including this one. It means so much to me!
> 
> [My tumblr](https://anxious---soul.tumblr.com) feel free to say hi or something!
> 
> Anyway,  
Thank you for reading,  
Hope you enjoyed this,  
Please leave a kudos and a comment  



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